it's where we begin tonight with our pentagon correspondent, jim miklaszewski. jim, good evening. >> reporter: president obama praised the pentagon's decision to open combat roles to women. and of the 152 u.s. service women who died in iraq and afghanistan, he called them patriots, whose sacrifices show that valor knows no gender. with the stroke of a pen, defense secretary leon panetta and joint chiefs chairman general martin dempsey today lifted the 20-year ban against women in combat. panetta said the new policy is finally catching up with the brutal reality on the ground in iraq and afghanistan. >> female service members have faced the reality of combat, proven their willingness to fight, and yes, to die to defend >> reporter: it first hit dempsey during a battlefield tour. >> i hopped into the upper armor humvee and slapped the turret around, and i said who are you and she said, i'm amanda. and i said okay. >> lifting the ban potentially opens all combat positions to women, including special operations like the elite navy s.e.a.l.s and army's delta force. b